Student accused of murdering his friend remanded in custody

A 23-Year-Old student accused of the murder of his friend Leo Carolan, who died following a stabbing at his flat in Dublin, has been further remanded in custody.

Gardai launched a murder investigation after the 25-year-old budding DJ from Dun Laoghaire was stabbed to death on October 4 at his home on the South Circular Road.

Mr Carolan was a second-year student at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, where he was studying creative music technology.

He was living in his apartment after returning from France, where he had studied anthropology at Universite Lumiere in Lyon. A second man, Swiss national Ludovic Thomas, was found injured on the road outside and was rushed to hospital with serious knife wounds.

Charges

Student Charles Cleary (23), who is currently of no fixed abode but is from the Rathfarnham area in south Dublin, was arrested on October 8 and held at Kevin Street Garda Station.

He was charged with murdering Mr Carolan and with assault causing harm to Mr Thomas. He was remanded in custody following a court appearance on October 10.

His latest hearing was held at Cloverhill District Court yesterday.

Judge William Hamill further remanded him in custody to appear again on December 9.

A book of evidence has to be prepared and directions from the DPP are also awaited, Detective Sergeant Adrian Whitelaw told the court yesterday.

He has not yet entered a plea to the charges.

The district court cannot grant bail in murder cases, meaning he will have to make an application to the High Court to get released pending trial.

At his first hearing last month, Det-Sgt Whitelaw had said: "I cautioned him and in reply he had nothing to say."

Psychiatric assessments of him were ordered when he first appeared in court.